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Welcome, dear reader, to the latest installment of Everything Else Last Week, where we look back at all the news in everything cool you may have missed from this past week. Pretty simple, huh?

This week (or I guess last week), Star Wars and Marvel channels could be coming to a TV near you, say goodbye to your GoPro, blade-less wind turbines are catching wind, and more in EELW for May 17, 2015.

Marvel and Star Wars are arguably two of the largest entertainment properties today, with enough content to satisfy their massive fan-bases. With a plethora of movies, cartoons, and live action series to bout, Disney is discussing the exciting possibility of Marvel and Star Wars dedicated channels respectively.

“We have said that with these channels and these brands — ESPN, ABC, Disney, maybe even down the road something related to Star Wars and Marvel — we do have an ability as a company to take product, specifically filmed entertainment, television, movies, directly to consumers.”

Since the reveal was more of an off-hand possibility than an official announcement, details are sparse. But, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if these channels played host to shows such as Star Wars The Clone Wars or Agents of SHEILD, along with the Star Wars series and Marvel Cinematic Universe.

The big question being asked is whether or not these channels will play host to original content. Considering series such as Star Wars Rebels and Daredevil are semi ‘Netflix Originals,’ will a Marvel or Star Wars channel take these successful shows over – perhaps delivering a blow to cable cutters?

It’s a possibility, but one only slightly greater than these channels ever being made in the first place. Although the audiences are there, having an entire channel dedicated to one franchise has both never been done before and runs the possibility of fatigue.

At least for now, however, with a $374 million opening at the domestic box office for Avengers: Age of Ultron, as well as the first new Star Wars movie in a decade later this year – neither juggernaut is showing signs of fatigue any time soon.

Note: this is in no way a product endorsement of the Lily Drone Camera, just a really neat, innovative and practical piece of tech. Not satisfied? OK it sucks, the Lily Drone sucks! Happy now? I mean look at this thing, why would you ever want to break it cold, metallic, $500 heart?

Developed by a pair of UC Berkley Students, the Lily is a portable propelled camera drone, which follows and records the users through GPS tracking – think GoPro on steroids. The drone can record up to 50ft in the air at a maximum speed of 40km/h to bring some truly epic shots.

For the hefty price, albeit similar to the GoPro Hero 4, Lily is expected to endure its fair share of beatings. It weighs less and takes up just as much room as a laptop, its waterproof up to 1 meter underwater – including saltwater – it has a tiny 20-minute battery life and is very offended if you make fun of it.

On the downside, though, Lily does not have obstacle avoidance, which could cause the user to spend more time checking the drone than doing their actual extreme sport. So, sorry mountain bikers, hikers, dedicated city vloggers its not going to work out, but don’t worry its not you it’s her.

The Lily Drone Camera is currently available to pre-order for $499, with $20 US and $30 International shipping. Shipping will begin in February 2016.

Oh, and incase you’re on the fence – the developers made it pretty clear Lily can’t spy on your neighbors for you because “other people will most likely notice Lily and quickly figure out where you are. You are better off climbing up a tree and using binoculars.” I suppose my search continues then…

Anyway, new Vortex Bladeless wind turbines bring an exciting, cost-effect and bird-friendly alternative to the current white windmill. Their twig-like appearance may puzzle you in regard to their effectiveness in capturing wind, but rest assured Vortex Bladeless’ co-founder David Suriol and his team has given an old design flaw new purpose.

\“We said, ‘Why don’t we use this energy, not avoid it,” stated Suriol in regard to Vorticity – a swaying effect inflected on tall structures by high amounts of wind. And Vorticity is exactly how these turbines harness wind without the use of blades; “we can’t say anything bad about conventional wind turbines; they’re great machines,” Suriol continued. “We’re just proposing a new way, a different way.”

To further exploit this vibrational energy, Vortex turbines are comprised of lightweight material such as fiberglass and carbon fire, with a pair of magnets generating a natural motor. What’s more, the 41-foot structure is absent of bolts or gears, lowering the cost by 51% of traditional turbines and requiring less dangerous repairs.

Suriol and Vortex have been receiving local support thanks to $1 million in funding from the Spanish government. Yet, the true test will come in the form of crowdfunding, which begins June 1st . The co-founder remains hopeful, stating, “Our vision is to start introducing the technology for self-distribution in the next 18 months.”

“… We still have a lot to prove and much work to do… I hope in 20 years Vortex will be the next wind generator model we will see deployed in the landscape.”

And I’m sure my fellow Wind Turbine enthusiasts agree. I mean, after all, we don’t like to offed.

Marvel may be dominating the cinematic front, but DC has furthered their already-aggressive television push with the recently announced Supergirl and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow series on CBS and CW respectively. Both upcoming series received official trailers, and appear to be worthy installments to the company’s decent line-up. Of course the lack of a coherent connected universe is a step behind Marvel, but DC has taken the liberty of putting their name in front of their work; now they just have to make it mean something.

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James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, will be in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, albeit not the most meaningful role. During a recent interview with Star Trek writer and actor, Simon Pegg, the 45-year old who will also be making an appearance in the upcoming film, accidently said, “I wasn’t a Stormtrooper. Daniel Craig, he was a Stormtrooper. I shouldn’t have said that.” Source

And lastly, it was a sad Thursday for Simpsons fans, as voice actor Harry Shearer confirmed on Twitter he was leaving the beloved series after 26 years. During his run, Shearer most notably voiced Ned Flanders, Mr. Burns, Smithers, and Skinner, amongst others. To be frank, though, after 26 years and 583 episodes there’s probably enough voice clips to last another few seasons. Regardless, Shearer did leave on good terms, with co-creator James T. Brooks lawyer stating, “[The] show will go on, Harry will not be part of it, wish him the best. This is because I wanted what we’ve always had: the freedom to do other work. I wish him the very best.” Source (1) (2)

So, there you have it, another EELW in the books (who reads those things anyways?) Be sure to discuss any of your thoughts in the comment section down below, and until next Sunday – yes I know it’s a Monday, but just role with it – this has been Everything Else Last Week for Sunday (Monday) May (still May) 17th (18th). Thanks for reading (tolerating)!

Greetings, and thanks for joining me on the latest edition of ‘Everything Else Last Week!’ (Yes the ‘from’ has been dropped – it was nice knowin’ ya). Anyways, this is the weekly post where I recap all the news from everything cool that you might have missed last week.

First up, Jon Steward finds his replacement on the acclaimed political satire, The Daily Show.

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Upon announcing his retirement from The Daily Show, fans of the political satire wondered who would replace the 52-year old Jon Steward. Comedy Central – the program’s main network – has also been debating the hosting job until recently settling on the 31-year old, Trevor Noah.

“We talked to women. We talked to men. We found in Trevor the best person for the job,” stated Comedy Central president, Michele Ganeless. “… Our goal was to find someone who brings something really exciting and new and different.”

Although the South African comedian is relatively new to American audiences – making his U.S. television debt in 2012 – Noah has been preforming stand-up around the world in addition to his contributions to The Daily Show last year.

“I’m thrilled for the show and Trevor,” said Jon Steward as part of a statement. “He’s a tremendous comic and talent that we’ve loved working with.”

Along with Steward, Noah has said comics such as Eddy Murphy, Chris Rock, and Dave Chappelle have been an influence to his career. Yet, despite Noah’s unique multi-cultural, satirical humor and recent success, he is well aware of the oncoming criticism.

“[Steward] told me, ‘I was where you were when I took over the show,’” Noah told the NY Times.“’Nobody knew me. I was just starting out, finding my voice, and that’s when I was handed this seat.’”

In the ongoing war to combat piracy, the popular streaming service, Netflix, has been a major contributor. And, to further their stance, the company has recently expressed interest in making the films and series they offer available globally – which in turn will hopefully limit piracy.

“The basic solution is for Netfilx to get global and have its content be the same all around the world,” stated Netfilx CEO Reed Hastings.

As a result, users would be less inclined to torrent content if it’s available to them through one medium. Yet, studios will need to grant Netflix permission to stream their content globally – something Hastings encourages the industry.

“The key thing about piracy is that some fraction of it is because [users] couldn’t get the content. That part we can fix… As an industry we need to fix global content.”

The enhancing ability of exoskeletons has made the technology a staple in current pop culture, but engineers at Carnegie Mellon University have taken strides in making this science fiction into science reality.

Slipping on as if it were a boot, the brace-like exoskeleton limits the energy of walking or jogging by less than 10 percent. And, because no outside energy source is required, activities still feel natural.

“There’s a comfortable squishiness for the first 20 minute,” described study co-author Gregory Sawicki to Washington Post. “But then it becomes totally transparent. Your body just integrates it.”

“When you take it off, you’re like, ‘oh crap.’ You don’t realize how much it helped until it’s gone. You feel really clunky for a few minutes.”

Instead of relying on a power source, which was ‘clunky,’ Sawicki and his partner Steve Collins built a spring-powered catapult system that would return the outputted energy back to the user.

Although the exoskeleton is still in its prototype phase, both Sawicki and Collins aim for a cost-effective solution to aid physical activity – specifically with the forthcoming baby boomers.

Making our way over to the ‘Rapid Fire’ segment, Hawkgirl, Harrison Ford, Mad Max, and more get covered in less than 1 minute (hopefully). Ready?

A new development has been made in CW’s potential spin-off from Arrow/Flash. The network revealed Broadway actress Ciara Renee will star as Kendra Saunders as Hawkgirl in the upcoming series. The announcement follows Brandon Ruth’s recent appearance as The Atom and Dominic Purcell as Heatwave. Source

After a recent plane crash, Harrison Ford of Star Wars and Indiana Jones fame has left hospital care with a head laceration as well as broken bones in his pelvis and ankle, witnesses say. Ford is reportedly recovering from the comfort of his own home. Source

The second official trailer for the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII will debut in theaters before Avengers: Age of Ultron on May 1st after its premiere at the Star Wars Celebration Convention later this month. There is currently no word on when it will appear officially online. Source

In the ongoing effort to preserve “culturally, historically, and aesthetically” significant recordings, the Library of Congress has welcomed Radiohead’s OK Computer. The 1997 album boasted political criticism during the information age, reflecting on contemporary issues and proving pop music could be purposeful. Source

Actor Tom Hardy confirmed his appearance in May’s Mad Max: Fury Road will be one of 4-slated movies in the franchise he is attached to. The next 3 films are contingent upon Fury Road’s success, yet Director George Miller is already busy on the next two stories. Source

And lastly, 27-year old designer Lucy Jung, along with 3 of her friends, have developed a pen for anyone suffering from Parkinson disease. The pen calms the tense and twitching muscles within a patient’s hand, allowing them to write, draw, and more. In fact, the muscles are still loosened 10 minutes after use. The designers are aiming for a more refined model soon. Source

Well, that just about does it for this week’s post. Be sure to share your thoughts on any of the news above in the comment section down below. This has been ‘Everything Else Last Week’ for April 5, 2015. Thanks for reading!

The first blog I ever posted to ScrewAttack was an argumentative opinion post about why Id Software’s 2011 shooter Rage was underrated during the hefty holiday season. Looking back, it was horrible. A wall of text, no images, a flurry of grammar, spelling, and prose mistakes with a smiley face sign-off to add even more cringe to the 4-year old post that looks like it could have been written by someone that very age. It got over 400 views.

It wasn’t until a year later when this narcissistic biography begins to get interesting. I wrote a short piece on a Borderlands Fan’s retro ‘Demake,’ in August of 2012, and even though the then news editor completely changed the title, teaser text, thumbnail, and formatting, I was proud my work made it to the front page. I would be lying if I told you I didn’t feel any satisfaction with seeing ThatPunkAdam on the front page, but being promoted for the first time showed me the magic of a community centered website.

Admittedly, I rarely participated in discussions or community events while still appreciating and experiencing the g1s through the infamous comment section – for better or worse. Although I prompted conversations with an ending question (concurrently burning “let me know what you think the comment section below!” into my muscle memory) I preferred to read opinions and watch well said arguments grow and evolve.

For as respectful as many of the comments were, however, that same attention and time was applied to those targeted against me. A younger ThatPunkAdam would have felt like a rockstar if people talked about me instead of the article, instead I learned first-hand – on multiple occasions – that misinterpretation of a quote or false facts (no matter how small) are grounds for execution.

Perhaps my biggest mistake, that still affects me to this day, came in the form of plagiarism. During the first 3 or so months, when I first started writing nearly every day, I developed a nasty habit in how I formatted my articles. Since I scarcely used direct sources in favor of the ease of finding published articles, I would repeat identical information in the same paragraph of the source whilst writing in my own words. I wasn’t doing this knowingly copying someone else’s work, but rather saw it as a more convenient process.

This lasted until I received a direct message from an intern at ScrewAttack with the subject heading titled, “Plagiarism”. I freaked. He accused me of what I detailed above and said I was reported to the admins. I was so shocked, angry, and scared that I told myself I would never write again. Eventually, one of those admins did contact me and said I wasn’t in trouble, in fact giving me tips on how to extract only the important details, arrange them in order of importance, take an angle, and add additional researched information.

Nearly 4 years later with over 700 articles, columns, and reviews published, I followed those guidelines all the way to Ryerson University’s Bachelor of Journalism course, which has just started to get underway. For as excited as I am about this next chapter in my life, it also marks the end of my time here at ScrewAttack. It’s not the case of ScrewAttack becoming less of a news site, rather, combined with hefty schoolwork, me pursuing a recently found passion in film reviews.

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Utilizing the fact-isolating ability acquired from writing news in addition to self-taught general prose and fluidity lessons, which, combined with a lifelong interest and recent love of cinema in all its history – I found a joy in the ability to express myself through writing without being limited to stating the news. While I would never have gone in to journalism if I didn’t like “stating the news,” a career in film criticism is the path I’m currently following.

If anyone would like to read said reviews, they can be found on either my blog at ThatPunkAdam.Wordpress.com or on Letterboxd. And if you follow me on Twitter @IndieAdamFilm, I will tweet out every review the day it’s posted. In fact, you can expect more reviews than ever over the next few months since I’ll be covering 10 films during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, which begins just before a hectic awards season. I am hyped.

Anyway, the point of this post was to not only reflect on my time at ScrewAttack but to say a formal goodbye and thank you to a website and community that helped me find not only my career path, but also my passion. If it wasn’t for ScrewAttack’s focus and respect for its user base, I honestly don’t know where my future would lie. So, to Stuttering Craig, Sean Hinz, Ryan Conway, and the rest of the ScrewAttack crew and community: thank you for everything.

Welcome out to the finale of my 2015 games preview, where I discuss the games that I'm looking forward to the most this year. So, for this final entry we'll be looking at the games of 2015 that have yet to be dated (TBA). Okay, 'Yet to be Announced' but you catch my drift.

Boy, did I have a blast playing the first Hotline Miami – I mean I know I wasn’t supposed to hence the theme of the game, but still – and I can’t wait to strap on my animal mask for this upcoming sequel.

Although I wouldn’t mind more of the same top-down raids, the addition of unique characters with special abilities and a level editor insures I’ll have enough to keep be busy until Hotline Miami 3. Wait, this is the series’ last entry? NO! EVERYTHING MUST BE A TRILOGY!

Hype Rating 8.7/10

TBA | Mario Maker (Wii U)

Similar to the Hotline Miami situation, Mario Maker basically insures gamers will see their fix of 2D Mario platforming for a long, long time. And, I am more than OK with that, if it means a new Nintendo IP or classic franchise instead of another not-exactly-new New Super Mario Bros.

What gets me more excited, however, is being able to play the crazy levels made by other players, which, from the previews thus far, can feature insane designs and enemy layouts a traditional Mario game would never dream of touching. And I’m not just talking about dick-shaped levels.

Hype Rating 9.1/10

TBA| No Man’s Sky (PS4, PC)

Beautiful graphics, epic soundtrack, unique concept.

Enough talk; just give it to me already!

Hype Rating 8.8/10

TBA | Rise of the Tomb Raider (Xbox One, Xbox 360)

Aside from the exclusivity fiasco, Rise of the Tomb Raider has all my ‘yes’ as the Internetz likes to say. I loved Crystal Dynamics’ darker take on Lara Croft, truly making her into the iconic heroine she deserves.

As good as that game was, though, my main flaw with it came from Lara’s sudden transformation into an emotionless killing machine. Yet, with this sequel, Crystal looks to address the physiological trauma Lara experienced, and how she is attempting to recover from it.

Now, if only she could set a course for the PS4…

Hype Rating 8.4/10

TBA | Splatoon (Wii U)

During my E3 awards last year, I discussed my appreciation of Splatoon for adding a fresh coat of paint to shooters, both in its unique traversing options and bright, cheerful visuals.

Since the show, Nintendo announced a story mode—a feature I wholeheartedly support. While multiplayer will be the main draw of Splatoon, the limited number of stages and enclosed space limits the opportunity to experiment with level design.

Thankfully, a story mode allows The Big N to take Splatoon’s paint-hopping mechanic, and do what they do best. Just imagine a 3D platformer like Mario Galaxy, but with portal-like paint. Sign me up! Except there’s no way I’m cleaning up.

Hype Rating 8.0/10

TBA | Star Fox (Wii U)

There’s not a whole lot to go on here, but the fact that there’s a new Star Fox game without dinosaurs, easily puts this title in my sights.

Now, I’m aware there are talks of gyro/motion controls, yet I’m positive there will be an option to turn them off if desired. But, hey, maybe we won’t want to turn them off—Nintendo has shown they know how to handle the Gamepad.

However, doing a barrel roll with motion controls could be bit tricky…

Hype Rating 8.9/10

Holiday | Star Wars Battlefront (PS4, Xbox One, PC)

I’m more of Trekkie, but I’m a bigger man than letting my alliance to a fictional universe cloud my anticipation for what could be an amazing sci-fi FPS.

Don’t get me wrong, though, Battlefront also has potential to be plagued by the same issues that Dice and EA’s last FPS had. But, with a franchise as prestigious as Star Wars, plus 2 fantastic entries into the franchise already, Battlefront has a lot of expectations, which hopefully won’t be forgotten to get the game out alongside the movie this winter.

What’s more, with more powerful hardware, it’ll be interesting to see what Dice can bring to the table, especially in terms of the strategic Galactic Conquest mode. But, I would settle for slicing fools with a lightsaber, because sometimes you just have to set aside the prime directive.

Hype Rating 8.2/10

Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End (PS4)

Only a few months ago I finally got around to playing all 3 Uncharted games, and they definitely lived up to the hype. But now with the series coming to an end – a thief’s end – I am more the ready for another romp with Nate and the gang.

After the astounding visual and story-telling feats of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us, the studio has a lot to live up to. Yet, from the content we’ve seen thus far, A Thief’s End appears to be the best looking and playing game yet.

Although our dashing hero is beginning to ‘raisin,' the environments look better than ever. Furthermore, the implication of deeper stealth mechanics and a few nods to the new Tomb Raider series in terms of grappling, makes me sad to see Drake go.

Oh, well, he’ll be back once he goes Hollywood.

Hype Rating 9.0/10

TBA | The Legend of Zelda (Wii U)

That big, huh?

Hype Rating 9.8/10

So you made it to the end. You sure it’s still 2015? No hover-boards or self-fitting shoes yet? Still the season of giving? Whew.

Anyways, 2014 – though plagued with a few broken games and its fair share of controversies – still delivered many fantastic gaming experiences. And by the looks of it, as developers get more comfortable with current-gen hardware, 2015 is shaping up to be even better for both gaming and gamers.

As I close off this 3-part column, I hope you enjoyed/tolerated my banter on the exciting coming year, had a few chuckles, and didn’t scroll too fast to the bottom to angrily notify me that I left off a specific game.

That said, be sure to share your thoughts in the comment section below on which games you’re looking forward to the most. I promise I’ll do my best to enjoy/tolerate each and every one of them.

It’s Sunday, which means another edition of Everything Else Last Week! OK, OK I know the last installment came out on a Monday, but we’re back, baby, we’re back!

Anyways, in this installment of the weekly news blog where we cover the latest happenings in everything cool, Star Trek 3 was apparently too “Star Trek-y,” the kids these days don’t watch live TV, a magic box will make TV commercials (audio) disappear, and more!

So sit back… not that far back you still have to read it… and enjoy! EELW begins now!

Star Trek Beyond, the probable title for the third movie in the rebooted trilogy, was reportedly too “Star Trek-y” for Paramount to continue with the original vision for the 2016 sci-fi flick. In an interview with The Guardian, actor/co-writer Simon Pegg shared some honest thoughts on how the studio plans to put niche source material aside in favor of proven genres.

“They had a script for Star Trek that wasn’t really working for them,” Pegg stated. “I think the studio was worried that it might have been a little bit too Star Trek-y… People don’t see it being a fun, brightly colored, Saturday night entertainment like the Avengers.” The solution? “Make a Western or a thriller or a heist movie, then populate that with Star Trek characters so it’s more inclusive to an audience that might be a little bit reticent.”

It’s understandable that with contemporary movie-going audiences, the intellectual, negotiation-focused premise of Star Trek’s initial series wouldn’t rake in enough dough to compete with the likes of The Avengers and Star Wars. Yet, a common complaint amongst many critics was that J.J. Abrams’ reboot strayed too far from the values of what made Star Trek popular in the first place.

So, the real challenge here is for Paramount and the writing staff to find a happy medium between action-packed blockbuster and the intelligence of the source material – pleasing both movie-goers and Trekkies alike. It will be a feat for sure, but if they can please both parties, the Avengers might want to watch their backs.

Network television stations will also begin to look over their shoulders, as the end of the 2014-2015 broadcast season brings decreasing viewership numbers in a critical age demographic. While CBS dominates the big four with a healthy 11.3 million overall viewers, when it comes to the 18-49 age demo significant losses are evident across the board.

When it comes to the possible average amount of time spent watching a station, since 2010, CBS has dropped from viewers potentially watching 3.2 percent of the time to 2.3. The losses continue, as NBC fell from 2.7 to 2.4; ABC from 2.7 to 2.2; and Fox from 3.7 dropped down to a mere 1.9 percent in 2015 - a viewership loss of roughly .88 percent over the past 6 years.

You don’t have to be an industry insider to site on-demand streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu for the loss. In fact, Netflix reported a total of 60 million subscribers, with over half of them located in the US alone, while Hulu Plus sported a neat 6 million subscribers last year.

After earning over $110 million on its opening weekend and receiving numerous rave reviews, Mad Max: Fury Road has become one of the best summer blockbusters in recent memory. And it doesn’t look like the road will be ending either, as both sequel and blu ray plans have been discussed.

Director/creator, George Miller, confirmed on Twitter Mad Max: The Wasteland (as The Huffington Post reports) is inbound, stating, “we had a lot of fun making [Fury Road]… and there’s more Max to come.” Tom Hardy will likely reprise his role as Max, indicted by his 3-film contract he signed earlier this year.

Until then, however, Mad Max fans will have to eventually settle for the upcoming blu ray release, which includes “the best version of the movie” in Miller’s eyes and one film buffs will undoubtedly appreciate.

Despite Fury Road featuring some beautiful orange and teal coloring, and an epic soundtrack, Miller will be including a silent black and white version of the movie. “One thing I’ve noticed is that the default position for everyone is to de-saturate post-apocalyptic movies,” Miller stated. “The best version of this movie is black and white, but people reserve that for art movies now. The other version is to really go all-out on the color.”

“…it can get really tiring watching this dull, de-saturated color, unless you go all the way out and make it black and white…I used to live near a drive-in that was on top of a hill. Often going home I wouldn’t drive in, I’d park outside and watch the movies silent. And then I became obsessed with silent movies and realized that the basic syntax of film.”

Mad Max: Fury Road is currently in theaters, while the blu ray has yet to be dated.

DC’s forthcoming cinematic universe appears to have cast its next hero. Although neither party has issued an official statement, Jaden Smith could be playing Virgil Ovid Hawkins, AKA Static Shock. The news was suggested by Tyler James Williams whilst discussing black superheroes in an interview, wherein he stated, “its great to see Static Shock is happening with Jaden.” The reveal might have come as a surprise if his father, Will Smith, wasn’t already included in DCCU as Deadshot in the upcoming Suicide Squad film. Source

Speaking of the 2016-slated Suicide Squad, 8 new on-set images have surfaced online. The unofficial pictures feature Jared Leto as The Joker (tattoos included) interacting with Margot Robbie as Dr. Harleen Quinzel in a seemingly significant scene. Suicide Squad is currently filming in Toronto, Canada and will hit theaters August 6, 2016. Source/Images

To make matters worse for TV (and coincidently better for viewers) a tiny black box will make commercials magically disappear while watching live programing. Well, the audio that is. Working essentially as an Ad-block for your TV, MuteMagic can detect and automatically mute commercials instead of manually muting them as many viewers already do. The gadget costs $39.99 and can be bought HERE.

Lastly, this piece of tech is a tad more sophisticated, as Canadian inventor Catalin Alexandru Duru has broken a world record on a hoverboard. Although its size, max height, and use of octocopters isn’t necessarily true to, say, Back to the Future – Duru used the device to hover 275.9m across a lake nonetheless, obtaining the Guinness world record for ‘longest hoverboard flight.’ Source

And that’s all the time we have for today, so be sure to hover on down to the comment section and share any of your thoughts on the above news. Until next Mon- I mean Sunday, this has been Everything Else Last Week for May 24, 2015. Thanks for reading!

Greetings, everyone, and thanks for joining me on this installment of ‘Everything Else Last Week’ – a weekly blog that recaps news on everything cool from this past week.

Our top stories this week involve head transplants, the actual development of a once-fake Gameboy mod for iPhones, controversy around Netflix’s excellent Daredevil series, and more.

30-year old Valery Spiridinov will become the first person to be the patient of a head transplant. The Russian man has decided to seek a new body due to a rare muscle degrading disease, but admits he is aware of the risk.

“You have to understand that I don’t really have many choices,” Spiridinov told MailOnline. “With every year my state is getting worse.”

As of now, the only head transplant was preformed on a monkey over 40 years ago, which died 9 days after the surgery. Yet, Dr. Sergio Canavero is confident modern technology will greatly aid the operation, stating, “I think we are now at a point when the technical aspects are all feasible.”

Dr. Canavero discussed the potential for head transplantation during a Ted Talk last year. Essentially, the surgeon believes the procedure is possible as long as the brain and be reconnected to the new spine – allowing motor function.

The connection is crucial, but is a lengthy process. Instead, Canavero revealed in the talk that closely compact cells can achieve the same affect, and can be regenerated at a much faster rate. The key? Electrical stimulation; a process that can access 10-20 percent of the spine’s minimal function in addition to quickening cell regeneration.

“Your world will never be the same again,” Canavero states.

The surgeon plans to operate on Spiridinov in 2017, which will take 36 hours and require a 150-person team. “Am I afraid?” asked Spiridinov, “Yes, of course I am. But it is not just very scary, but also very interesting.”

There is no denying the sensation of having almost any classic Gameboy or Gameboy Color game on your fancy, new smartphone through emulation. But, if you prefer the more legal approach to playing these games on your phone, look no further than Hyperkin’s recently announced ‘Smart Boy.’

This neat little device – ok, it’ll at least be smaller than the original brick of handheld – enables users to play their old Gameboy and Gameboy Color cartridges on their smartphone via slip-on adaptor. What’s more, the case also features the original button layout, ready to replicate those long 80s car rides.

Sound too good to be true? It almost was; Hyperkin originally fooled gamers earlier this month in one of this year’s more convincing April Fools jokes, but received such positive feedback the company decided to look further into it.

Considering the annual upgrades in smartphones, concerns about the ‘Smart Boy’s longevity have been brought up amongst fans. The price point is another issue, as some gamers may choose to simply purchase an actual Gameboy or Gameboy Color despite the accessory’s convince.

Regardless, Hyperkin is moving forward with the product, and is currently developing it for iPhone and Android devices.

If you’re reading this, chances are you’ve already binged though Netflix and Marvel’s excellent Daredevil series. That is of course, considering you’re not blind. Despite Daredevil himself being blind, the streaming service has not included described audio for the visually impaired.

“It’s entertainment, but accessibility is important regardless of if it’s entertainment or education,” 25-year old Robert Kingett told CNBC. Being legally blind, Kingett joined the Accessible Netflix Project to petition described audio for Daredevil.

Kingett and ANP aren’t the only ones petitioning, however. Kuljit Mithra of a popular Daredevil fansite posted informational links on Kingett’s campaign, and the importance of audio description. What’s more, independent comic book artist – Rich Bernatovech – had this to say on the issue:

“Am I the only person who finds it bad that there is a show about a blind superhero coming on TV and people, more importantly children, who are visually impaired will not be able to enjoy this show unless they find their own way to get Audio Description?” Bernatovech wrote on his Facebook page.

Netflix is by no means the only streaming service lacking in AD support, but on this particular issue, a company spokesperson stated, “We are working hard to provide great entertainment to all our members, including the hearing and visually disabled. We don’t have any further updates to share at this time.”

Readers who wish to aid Robert and the Accessible Netflix Project can visit his website HERE. The site provides links to social media groups, formal ADA and FCC complaints, forums, emails and more.

Leaping into the ‘Rapid Fire’ segment, news about The Incredibles 2, a ‘Drive’ comic series, another season of Arrested Development, and more get covered in just under a minute! Ready?

Although writer Brad Bird (Ratatouille, The Iron Giant) is busy on Disney’s upcoming Tomorrowland, he has begun the script for The Incredibles 2. “It’s percolating. I mean, I’m just starting to write it, so we’ll see what happens.” The sequel to the 2004 hit has yet to be dated, however Samual L. Jackson confirmed earlier this month he would be reprising his role as Frozone. Source

Film buffs will remember Nicolas Winding Refn’s ‘Drive’ (2011) as an excellently dark, neon-infused adaption of James Sallis’ original novel. Now, the story will be told once again, but in comic book format, as IDW publishing will be adapting Sallis’ version into a series. No date has been announced. Source

Aerosmith front man, Steven Tyler, is set to trade his rock n roll pipes in for some country blues. Tyler recently teased his upcoming solo country album, which will release later this year. “I’ve been working with some fucking epic Nashville songwriters,” said Tyler, “getting my feet wet with the style and groove.” Source

And lastly, Arrested Development could be returning for another season. The acclaimed comedy returned in 2013 after a 7-year absence thanks to Netflix. Now, producer Brian Grazer said in a recent interview that the show would receive another 17 episodes. Grazer mentioned the news in an off-hand comment, so no official statement has been made. Source

Well, that does it for this entry of ‘Everything Else From Last Week!’ Be sure to share any opinions on the above news in the comment section down below. Thanks so much for reading, and I’ll see you all next week!

Another Sunday, another recap of everything cool from the past 7 days in ‘Everything Else Last Week!’ Today we cover Spider-Man’s forthcoming debut in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, controversy around Jay-Z’s new streaming service, a track pad for your finger, and more. Let’s get started!

Marvel Studios is set to release their follow-up to 2012’s blockbuster, The Avengers, with The Avengers: Age of Ultron. However, as the second phase of the cinematic universe nears its end, fans are crawling up the wall for Spider-Man’s eventual debut – eagerness the studio’s President, Kevin Feige, doesn’t want to kill with another origin story.

“It will not be an origin story,” Feige told CraveOnline. “But, with great power comes great responsibility. It is inherent to who his character is. But we want to reveal it in different ways and spend much more time focusing on this young high school kid in the MCU dealing with his powers.”

Of course, before July 2017’s Spider-Man hits the screen, fans have already seen two versions of the web slinger hit the screen. Toby McGuire appealed to Peter Parker’s ‘nerdy’ and emotional sides, while Andrew Garfield played up a more youthful, and wisecracking version of the character.

That said, Feige continued on to state that this Spider-Man will also be a unique adaption of the beloved hero, saying, “I think there are a lot of things [past cinematic adaptions] haven’t done, which is A) his interactions with other heroes in the universe… and also more the notion… [of] a much younger version of Spider-Man than we’ve seen in the [past] movies. They get him in and out of high school really fast.”

“And also the notion that he is very, very funny and very, very witty when he’s in that costume, swinging around,” Feige said. “Not as a standup comedian, obviously, but as almost his nervous energy, bothering the criminals with banter as much as with his powers. That’s something that I think we’re excited to explore.”

Music streaming is quickly becoming the industry’s go-to format in the current digital era. Thanks to the popularity of services such as Spotify and kin, rapper Jay-Z launched his own service, Tidal, last month promising an individualized model for creators such as Kanye West, Arcade Fire, and Daft Punk. Yet, independent artists, Mumford and Sons spoke out against the service, stating, “We wouldn’t have joined it anyway, even if they had asked.”

“I think smaller bands should get paid more for it,” Marcus Mumford told The Daily Beast. “Bigger bands have other ways of making money, so I don’t think you can complain. When they say it’s artist-owned, it’s owned by those rich, wealthy artists... We want people to listen to our music in their most comfortable way, and if they’re not up for paying for it, I don’t really care."

Tidal currently supports 25 million tracks and 75,000 music videos in 35 countries around the world for $9.99 a month or $19.99 a month for additional content. However, less than a month after its launch CEO Andy Chen was replaced and 25 employees were recently laid off in a streamlining attempt.

Mumford and Sons went on to express they aren’t against streaming entirely because its “democratized the music industry.” Yet, the band’s Winston Marshall feels the digital frontier isn’t necessarily the final one, adding, “This is how people are going to listen to music now – streaming. So diversify as a band. It doesn’t mean selling your songs to adverts. We look at our albums as standalone pieces of art, and also as adverts for our live shows."

It may be in its prototype phase; it may seem useless; and it may look a tad ridiculous, but the fine researchers at MIT are still developing it anyway. The strange piece of tech being referred to in none other than the NailO, a wireless track pad for any device literally at the tip of your finger.

Inside the quarter-sized patch fits sensors, a circuit board, and a battery – relaying the finger’s movement along its surface to a Bluetooth-enabled device.

The research team believes in the NailO’s potential, both practically and stylistically. Its size and wireless abilities aid activities such as cooking whilst following an online recipe, or subtly sending a text message. The team is also looking into decreasing the size and adding attractive designs – reflecting a popular fashion accessory in Asia.

Cindy Hsin-Liu Kao, an MIT graduate and current researcher on the NailO, attests to the device’s comfortable connection, explaining, “When I put this on, it becomes part of my body. I have the power to take it off, so it still gives you control over it. But it allows this very close connection to your body.”

Still, the NailO is a very young product. It’s a bit too big, too young, and too weird, and has a long way to go if it wishes to take on the customary keyboard and mouse. “But,” Steve Hodges of Microsoft Research argues, “more and more [replacing keyboards and mice is] being complemented by use of our devices and accessories while we’re on the move.”

I’ve got desktop, I’ve got a mobile phone, but that’s still not enough. Different ways of displaying and controlling devices while we’re on the go are, I believe, going to be increasingly important.”

ThatGameCompany is bringing their critically acclaimed indie trilogy to PS4 this summer in physical form. In addition to Flower and FlOw, Journey will reach Sony’s latest console, and reach a 60fps frame-rate. The cross-buy feature with the Vita handheld is expected. Source

If not demons, Constantine’s horrid Friday timeslot may be what kills the fan-favorite show after its inaugural season. Thankfully, the show may pull through, as showrunner Daniel Cerone confirmed discussions for a potential second season are currently ongoing, but recognizes it could be a long shot. Source

And finally, HBO’s Game of Thrones proved as strong as ever – reaching almost 8 million unique viewers on its season 5 première. The episode is currently holds the show’s viewership record, as it’s 1.4 million more than 2014’s season 4 debut. I think its safe to say winter is not coming anytime soon. Source

Well, that's about all the time we have for today. Be sure to share any of your thoughts on the above news in the comment section down below. Until next Sunday, this has been Everything Else Last Week for April 19, 2015. Thanks for reading!

This summer’s box-office is chalk full of big-name franchises when it comes to getting your adrenaline pumping, with installments to Terminator, Jurassic Park, and Marvel’s gigantic cinematic universe – all of which looking to reign supreme in the heat of the season.

However, for moviegoers seeking something that doesn’t take itself too seriously, isn’t a sequel, reboot, or adaptation, and stars Samuel L. Jackson as the motherfu-ing President should put ‘Big Game’ in their sights.

From Finnish writer and director, Jalmari Helander (whose resume includes a quirky Finnish Christmas flick and a slew of shorts) ‘Big Game’ follows Oskari (Onni Tommila), a young boy looking to earn his manhood by hunting a great woodland animal in the mountains of Finland.

What Oskari finds, however, is perhaps the biggest game of them all, President William Alan Moore (played by a vulnerable Sam Jackson) of the United States of America, who crashed into the wilderness after Air Force One was destroyed.

The hunter becomes the hunted, as Oskari must help the President escape the woods before the psychotic Hazar (an excellent Mehmet Kurtulus) and his band of terrorists can track and kill Moore, with the aid of Morris (Ray Stevenson), the President’s former most trusted college.

Yes, the plot is as ridiculous as it sounds, but audiences must keep in mind when they visit the select theaters that carry this film that above anything else, ‘Big Game’ is a foreign take on American action movies.

Sure it has a handful of American actors, and sure it takes time to recognize America’s power, influence and pride, but ‘Big Game,’ for as patriotic as it attempts to be still feels foreign through and through.

Perhaps it’s the landscape, or the insight into Oskari’s cultural values. These aren’t complaints per say but in contrast to the pride exuded via the President and several scenes at the pentagon, ‘Big Game’ delivers an odd tone. Some may say it’s an open-minded one, while others could argue it lacks focus. Regardless, the oddness of it all makes for an interesting insight into Helander’s inspired vision nonetheless.

Naturally, ‘Big Game’s handful of action sequences involve a few well-choreographed hand-to-hand fights (although it won’t be giving 'John Wick' much to worry about) and several enjoyable set pieces, highlighted by a rather silly albeit satisfying climax.

The budget is fortunately hidden amongst the beautiful scenery, yet when it does show, such as the aforementioned climax, its laughably noticeable – glaring if not for the film’s tongue and check tone.

'Big Game' released late 2014, and is currently replaying in select theaters.

I’m afraid the tone’s merits stop there, however, for no amount of self-recognition can account for the clear lack of chemistry between Jackson and Tommila. It’s almost as if the two actors were never on set together. In fact, you could likely count on your hands how many times you could definitively spot Jackson and Tommila together on screen.

It’s a shame really, because the president and Oskari have a few entertaining exchanges throughout the film, which are made even more enjoyable considering the contrast in personality. But it’s hard to fully appreciate these scenes when its debatable the actors where ever on set together more than 3 times – a tragedy considering Tommila’s comfort with comedy.

The flaws of the top billed don’t take away from other noticeable performances. Sam Jackson fans get to see the physical and intimidating actor flex his more vulnerable and helpless side, even if he embraces his type-casted persona near the final act.

As mentioned earlier, Mehmet Kurtulus has a disappointing lack of screen time for his freakishly grounded and confident take on the malevolent Hazar. In fact, if Morris’ fate wasn’t as poetic, I would have loved to had seen Kurtulus take center stage as the main antagonist – due solely for Hazar’s comedic madness matching the film’s quirky tone. Of course, Stevenson and Garber offer up believable albeit forgettable performances. But did anyone really expect more anything more?

Oskari and The President after one of the film's more humours set pieces. Even here it's hard to tell of Tommila and Jackson are on screen together.

Against the plethora of other big- budget blockbusters this summer, 'Big Game' offers a slightly different perspective on a culture-defining genre. It may not be up to snuff in terms of acting or visual effects but 'Big Game' is fun and different.

And when you consider that against the numerous reboots and sequels due out this summer, ‘fun and different’ is among some of the top praise an action movie can receive at this time of year.

Another Sunday, another edition of ‘Everything Else Last Week,’ – a weekly news blog that covers everything cool you may have missed from this past week!

Inside features: a fan-made, fully functional Iron Man Glove; Android wear attempting to compete with the Apple Watch; Jay-Z’s on-demand music service appearing to flop and much more. Let’s get started!

Using only his intellect – and millions of dollars – Tony Stark developed a suit of high-tech armor, saving the world on more than one occasion as the superhero Iron Man.

Patrick Priebe may not have the funding, and probably hasn’t saved the world. But over the course of three weeks, the German architect has developed a real-life, fully functional Iron Man glove.

Sparing no balloons, planks of wood, or oranges, Patrick showed off the glove’s 700mW palm laser (complete with sound), 300mW wrist beam and aluminum slug launcher in action. In fact, Patrick mentioned on his Facebook page, the launcher is actually stronger than a railgun of that size. So, ‘watch out’ is what he’s trying to say.

The Iron Man gauntlet is only one of the many dream gadgets he has brought to life. Patrick has experimented with Spiderman’s iconic webshooter, Cyclops’ laser eyes from X-Men, and the deadly Plasma Cutter from Dead Space amongst other creations.

“It’s really ‘movie-like,’” Patrick said of his Iron Man glove, “I don’t like the good-looking gauntlets that do nothing. It’s just too simple.”

‘Competition breeds innovation,’ and Google is doing just that. With the latest update to their Android wear, which brings improvements to display, Wi-Fi support, and user interface, it’s hard to believe announcing the update 4 days before Apple launched their Smartwatch wasn’t by accident.

Amid the improvements, the high-tech watch will (thankfully) tell the time and keep apps on screen whilst saving battery. Furthermore, built-in Wi-Fi will allow users to use online apps, messaging included, wherever their phone is as long as it’s connected to data. And, lastly, menu browsing will be more fluid, with users having the ability to draw emojis instead of scrolling endlessly for that perfect expression.

As of March 2015, Android has seven unique ‘Smartwatches’ on the market, ranging in price from $200 to $300. Earlier this week, Apple released their single style watch costing $350 to $1,400.

Early reviews praised both devices for their integration into everyday life and their useful function, yet have found concern in price and being a somewhat unnecessary replacement to smartphones.

Now that both devices are out, does the Android Wear update sway your decision, or will you remain adamant on the Apple Watch? Or do you see no use for either device? Have your voice heard in the comment section below.

Mumford and Son’s criticism of Jay-Z’s premium music service, Tidal, last week may have foreshadowed the app’s current struggle. By looking at Tidal’s current numbers (via BGR) it’s clear to see Jay-Z and company may be washed away.

After a month on the market, Tidal has fallen from the top 700 in the App Store. As for rivals Spotify and Pandora, which Tidal foolishly panned for underpaying artists like Madonna and Kanye West, have risen to spots 3 and 4 on the same chart, respectively.

The numbers don’t lie, and it would appear Kanye West – an ambassador of the service – may have seen Tidal’s demise as well. While Kanye hasn’t explicitly stated concerns, he has however changed his Twitter icon from a Tidal promotional image and deleted all tweets mentioning the service despite releasing a formulaic support tweet soon after according to BGR.

Astute consumers were likely forewarned of Tidal’s pending flop. It encouraged users to pay already wealthy artists more, a mentality that drove piracy in the first place. Furthermore, many listeners might not have access to the high quality equipment needed to appreciate the better quality. And, the $20 price point is over double the amount of a monthly subscription to Spotify or Pandora.

During writing, Jay-Z took to Twitter to address the current state of the service with #TidalFacts. The face of the service stated, "Tidal is doing fine. We have over 770,000 subs... The Itunes Store wasn't built in a day... Please give us a chnace to grow and get better... We are not anti-anyone, we are pro-artist and fan... Tidal is where artists can give their fans more without the middle man."

Over the past few weeks you may have noticed CW, the creators of The Flash and Arrow, has been busy casting Actors and Actresses such as Ciara Renee as Hawkgirl and Dominic Purcell as Heatwave. Now, it appears the rumored spin-off series set in the Arrow/Flash shared universe has a name. According to report by Variety, the title ‘Legends of Tomorrow’ appears to have been leaked despite CW remaining mute on the subject. Source

After grossing over $400 million worldwide, Warner Bros has shared more details on the upcoming follow-up to last year’s Lego Movie. Along with a standalone Lego Batman movie in 2017 and a Ninjago film in 2018, The Lego Movie Sequel (title confirmed) will arrive May 18, 2018. Writers Phil Lord and Christopher Miller are slated to return. Source

Speaking of sequels, Legendary Pictures confirmed on this past Thursday that 2013’s Pacific Rim would receive a follow-up in August 2017. Director and creator Guillermo del Toro is expected to reprise his role after his original sci-fi vision grossed $411 million globally. Source

And lastly, Marvel announced on Tuesday that Daredevil, its latest co-product with Netflix, will return for a second season in 2016. The show will see new show runners, Doug Petrie (American Horror Story) and Marco Ramirez (Sons of Anarchy), join returnee Jeph Loeb (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). If you happen to be on the fence about the first season, however, check out my review HERE (spoilers: I really like it!).

So there you have it; another edition of ‘Everything Else Last Week’ in the books for Sunday April 26, 2015. Be sure to share your thoughts on any of the above news in the comment section down below (especially that one about the Android Wear Vs. Apple Watch I mentioned earlier. It’s OK we all forget sometimes). Until next Sunday, this has been ‘Everything Else Last Week!’ Thanks for reading.

P.S. If you enjoyed my review of Daredevil Season 1, keep an eye out for more reviews of movies, television shows, comics, games and gadgets. You can follow me on Twitter or subscribe right here on ScrewAttack.com. That is all.

Right out of the gate, Daredevil makes it clear to viewers that little Tommy and Sally should be put to bed before tuning into the happenings of Hell’s Kitchen. Underage drinking, brain splatter, blood – Daredevil holds no punches when it comes to providing a realistic and grounded perspective of a universe where a talking raccoon exists.

Without losing Marvel’s patent charm, wit, care and intelligence audiences have grown accustom to on the big screen, Daredevil prioritizes being a crime drama over a superhero flick. Hell’s Kitchen is a living, breathing, compressor of a city – Matt Murdock just happens to live in it.

Through a range of characters, audiences get to experience the city from a variety of perspectives. Foggy and Karen provide us a civilian view (as well as some welcome comedic relief), Ben Urich, (Vondie Curtis-Hall) an experienced standpoint, Fisk and associates, the underground, and Daredevil, the streets.

In addition to those not mentioned, each character is written with a motive that works fluidly into the overall arc. And whether it be through relationships of love or hate, you care about each and every character’s arc and motive.

Specifically, the writers have done an excellent job of fleshing out Matt’s character through the themes brought about by his Daredevil persona. He questions his morality, his dedication, and his relationships with the people he’s closest to in order to bring down a man he believes is truly evil - establishing a tense and meningful connection between his two selves.

The origin story, a commonly mishandled albeit nessiary aspect of the superhero genre, is presented swiflty through a slew of flashblacks across the first half of the season. Although the full extent of Matt's training is left out, possibily to be elaborated on in the forthcoming second season, Daredevil focuses more on his motives rather than his powers, letting us understand Matt as a human rather than a cookie-cutter superhero.

Yet, Vincent D’Onofrio as Kingpin is, in this reviewer’s opinion, one of the most memorable aspects of the season. While the acting is great all around, despite some mediocre performances by Henson early on, D’ Onofrio steals nearly every scene he’s in.

Naturally, credit goes to the writing team for crafting a dynamic antagonist who’s plagued with great loneliness, and filled with bubbling anger. Yet, D’ Onofrio brings Fisk to life with such range – drifting in somber in one scene, and thrashing in rage in the next, making for an empathetic, intimidating, and unpredictable villain.

However, being weary of spoiler territory, the final confrontation between Fisk and Daredevil unfortunately boils down to nothing more than mere brute. After establishing such an interesting character it’s a shame to see more liberty wasn’t taken in further exploring the conflicting mentalities between the two ‘savors’ of Hell’s Kitchen. It also would have been intriguing to watch Matt deal with deciding whether or not to kill Fisk after contemplating that possibility earlier on.

Regardless, the action is done beautifully. In similar fashion to last year’s excellent John Wick, Daredevil shows the action. You see and feel every punch, kick, break, and snap. Matt isn’t invincible as he was in 2003’s panned adaption of the hero; he gets cut, bruised and faces death on more than one occasion. And of course, how could you forget episode 2's Old Boy-esque hallway fight? Brillient.

Being co-produced by Netflix, the quality is no less than an episode of House of Cards, if not better at times. Alleyways, apartments, news offices, warehouses are all authentic and real. Stunts are expertly coordinated, and varied, and a handful of one-shots provide a different pace of action at just the right times.

At times, though, the odd backflip during a fistfight feels out of place in this grounded world, even if its true to the original Daredevil. Also, on more than one occasion, the lighting was unnecessarily dark – unfortunately hiding some of the excellent aforementioned action.

On the topic of lighting, aside from those few fights, Daredevil has some of the most stunning cinematogrpahy I have seen in not only the MCU but television as a whole - a feat to be commended considering the show's dark tone.

Nevertheless, by the time I finished Daredevil, I must admit: I suffered from withdrawal. Whether it was from binging the final 5 episodes or not, I wanted to hop right back into ‘Nelson and Murdock’ and find out what Daredevil's next challenge would be.

With Avengers: Age of Ultron right around the corner, I pray this series won’t get lost amongst the movie-going audience. Despite some spotty acting early on, a few lighting slipups, and a somewhat disappointing climax, It has 13 hours of engaging story, interesting characters, and fluid action – undoubtedly making Daredevil the most ambitious and exciting product of the Marvel cinematic universe.